US2720704A - Toy - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent TOY Robert K. McBerty, Galion, Ohio Application December 15, 1952, Serial No. 325,976

1 Claim. (CI. 33-27 This invention relates generally to a mechanism for producing designs and more particularly to a mechanism capable of combining three rotative motions and record the results thereof.

When manufacturing devices for generating designs, particularly with the view of their use as a toy, it is essential that the device he structurally simple to manufacture and operate. In order to provide a competitive toy, it is, therefore, desirable that the toy be capable of manufacture from low cost materials which are easily fabricated so that the initial cost will be as low as possible. It is probably of even greater importance that the mechanism be simple to operate so that younger children may be able to enjoy using the toy.

It is also important in the field to toys of this nature that the toy be capable of continued amusement in that minor variations or adjustments in the mechanism will result in entirely new designs each time the toy is used.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a mechanism capable of generating an infinite number of designs.

It is another object of this invention to provide a mechanism wherein a simple adjustment results in a new and completely different design each time the mechanism is used.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a toy that may be easily manufactured from low cost durable material.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy according to this inventron;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the toy; and,

Fig. 3 is a front view of the toy.

The apparatus for generating the curves according to this invention is comprised of a base, a disc rotatably mounted on the base and a plurality of pulleys rotatably mounted on the base spaced from the disc. Driving means are provided to rotate the disc and pulleys simultaneously in such a way that the angular velocity ratio between the disc and pulleys may be held constant or may be varied as desired. An arm is attached pivotally to each pulley at one point and rotatably attached to the other arm at another point spaced from the pulleys. A recording surface is rotatably attached to the disc on its upper surface. A scribe or recording means is mounted on one of the arms in such a way that it engages the recording surface on the disc. The pivot attachment of the arms to the pulleys is arranged so that it may be moved relative the axis of rotation radially on the respective pulley. The scribe records the locus of the relative motion between the recording surface and the scribe and thereby generates curves which take the form of designs as they are repeated.

Referring to the drawings, a base is provided on which is rotatably mounted a disc 11. A pivot pin 12 is mounted in the base 10 and projects into a bore in 2,720,704 Patented Oct. 18, 1955 the center of the disc 11 providing a pivot around which the disc 11 rotates. Pulleys 13 and 14 are also rotatably mounted in the base 10 in a manner similar to the disc 11. The pivot pins 16 and 17 are anchored in the base and are spaced from the disc 11 providing a pivot for the pulleys 13 and 14. In the preferred embodiment the axes of the pivot pins 12, 16 and 17 are substantially parallel and the upper surface of the pulleys and the disc are substantially in the same plane.

A drive shaft 18 is mounted for rotation beneath the base 10 in the drive shaft supports 19 and 21. Collars 22 and 23 are provided on the drive shaft 18 which engage the supports 19 and 21 thereby axially locating the drive shaft 18. A drive wheel 24 is slidably mounted on the drive shaft 18 and is formed with a friction surface 26 preferably rubber for engaging the lower side of the disc 11. The thumb screw 27 is provided in the hub 28 of the drive wheel 24 to lock the drive Wheel against any motion relative to the drive shaft 18. By axially moving the drive wheel 24 along the shaft 18 an infinite number of speed ratios may be provided. As the drive wheel 24 is moved radially away from the pivot 12 of the disc 11 the angular velocity ratio between the shaft 18 and the disc 11 will be increased thereby resulting in a slower rotation of the disc for a given rotation of the shaft 18. Conversly, as the drive wheel is moved along the shaft 18 toward the axis of the disc 11, the angular velocity ratio will be decreased and the disc 11 will rotate faster for a given rotation of the shaft 18.

In the preferred embodiment, a pulley drive wheel 31 is mounted for rotation on the shaft 18 in such a way that it is substantially tangent to a common tangent of the pulleys 13 and 14. Grooves are provided in the periphery of the pulleys 13 and 14 and the wheel 31. A belt 32 is disposed around the pulleys 13 and 14 and the pulley drive wheel 31 so that when the pulley drive wheel rotates the pulleys are also rotated. A belt 32 may be formed of any suitable means such as string, a rubber band or a continuous coil spring.

A scissor-like assembly is formed of two arms 33 and 34 one of which is pivotally attached to each of the pulleys as at 39 and 41. The pivots 39 and 41 are radially adjustable in the slots 42 and 43 formed in the pulleys 13 and 14. Thumb screws 44 and 46 are provided to secure the pivot points 39 and 41 in the desired position while still providing a simple means of radially adjusting the arms. By radially adjusting the pivots 39 and 41, it is possible to adjust the magnitude of the motion of the arms 33 and 34. Since the pivots of the arms are independently adjustable, an infinite number of combinations of motions are possible. The arms 33 and 34 are crossed and rotatably joined in the point of their crossing by a pin 36 which may be adjusted to vary the point of intersection of the two arms. Longitudinal grooves 44 and 46 are formed in the arms 33 and 34 respectively to provide for the adjustment of the intersection of the arms.

When manufacturing this device for use as a toy it is preferable that the various elements be manufactured from wood or some similar material which is low in cost and easy to fabricate. However, in other applications where accuracy and durability are of prime importance, it may be desirable to fabricate the device from metal.

A recording surface 48 is mounted on the upper surface of the disc 11 by the pin 12 and a recording element 47 is mounted on one of the arms engaging the recording surface. A combination of the recording surface and the recording element must be capable of recording the locus of the relative motion of the recording surface and the recording element. Preferred is a recording surface consisting of a lower surface of deeply colored waxy or gummy material on which is superimposed one or more through; On pulling the translucent sheet from the underlined material the sheet is cleared and another design may be made. When employing a recording surface, of

' this nature the recording element'is merely a substantial ly pointed scribe which engages the upper translucent sheet thereby causing the sheet to engage the surface of the gummy material along the line of contact. This recording system is no part of this invention other than in combination with this toy and alternative recording methods may be used such as paper and a ball point pen or pencil where the paper would be mounted on the rotating disc and the pen or pencil mounted on the arm.

Those skilled in the art will realize that by' adjusting the magnitude of the motion of the arms by adjusting the pivots and by adjusting the relative velocity of the rotating disc 11 by moving the pulley 24 along the shaft 18, it is possible to modify the combination of movements in an infinite number of ways so that the design generated by the recording element 47 on the recording surface may be infinitely changed so that the user of the mechanism toy will find a continued source of amusement.

Having completed a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention so that others skilled in the art will be able to understand and practice the same, Istate that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is not limited by said preferred embodiment but rather is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is: V

A toy for generating and recording curves comprising a base having a substantially horizontal upper surface, a horizontal disk pivoted on said frame for rotational movement about said pivot, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base with an axis of rotation intersecting the axis of said disk perpendicular thereto, an annular drive wheel axially slidable relative to said shaft the periphery thereof engaging the under side of said disk, means preventing relative motion between said wheel and said shaft, a plurality of pulleys rotatably mounted on said base spaced from said disk with the axes thereof parallel to the axis of'said disk, pulley drive means rotatably connecting said drive shaft and said pulleys, arms pivotally attached to each of said pulleys at one pointand r0- tatably attached to each other at a second point spaced from said one point, a recording surface mounted on the upper side of said disk including a waxing material covered by a translucent sheet of material, and a recording member mounted on an arm engaging said surface of said sheet recording the locus of the relative motion of said recording surface and recording member, said translucent material being -movable away from said waxing material to erase 'said recording surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images